Pick-up plate holder



Oct. 30, 1956 T. ST. CLAIR ,7

PICK-UP PLATE HOLDER Filed Aug. 26, 1955 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

2,7685 15 Patented Got. 30, 1956 PICK-UP PLATE HOLDER Truman St. Clair, Qhicago, 11L, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, N. Y, a corporation of New York Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,723

3 Claims. ((11. 65-61) This invention relates to a holder for paper plates and the like, land it relates more particularly to an improved pick-up paper plate holder of the type described in the copending application of Bowes et al., filed on August 4, 1950, entitled Pick-Up Paper Plate Holder, issued as Patent No. 2,728,209 on December 27, 1955. 0

The pick-up plate holder described in the aforementioned copending application makes use of a plurality of equidistantly spaced spring fingers having upturned ends which extend into the path of the side walls of the paper liner or plate to establish a gripping relation with the upper side wall portion of the plate as the pickup plate holder is pressed down onto the top of an inverted stack of paper plates. In response to the frictional engagement which is established between the side wall of the uppermost plate and the inwardly extending spring fingers of the plate holder, the uppermost plate in the stack is adapted to be retained in position of use with the holder for removal thereof with the holder for use.

Because of the shallow character of such paper platesand because of the large cross-sectional dimension of the plate between the spring fingers, the gripping relation which is established has been found often to be insufiicient adequately to anchor the plate in the holder. As a result, the plate or liner is not always removed with the holder from the stack and inadvertent displacement also becomes possible for separation of the plate from the holder in use.

It is an object of this invention to produce an improved pick-up paper plate holder which is able to efiect positive engagement with the liner or plate in a simple and expedient manner more effectively to anchor the plate or liner in the holder, yet in a manner which permits removal for discarding the plate subsequent to use.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a pick-up plate holder of the type described embodying elements which cut into but not through the side walls of the plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement thereof into and out of its mounted relation within the holder to establish positive engagement in a manner to resist inadvertent relative movement between the plate and hold-er until the plate is intentionally removed for purposes of discarding.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective elevational view of a plate holder embodying features of this invention in position to secure the uppermost plate in a stack into position of use;

Figure 2 is a perspective sectional elevational View of the plate holder, a stack of plates and a support for the stack of plates in relative positions;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the plate holder of the type shown in Figure 1, and

2 Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of a portion of the plate holder in the position shown in Figure 1.

The concepts of this invention will be described in use with paper plates or liners 10 having a dished portion 11 formed with :a bottom Wall 12 and upwardly and outwardly inclined side walls 13 joining the flat bottom wall 12 with :an outwardly flaring intermediate portion 14 which terminates in an annular lip 15 integral with the outer edge of the rim and inclined downwardly therefrom. It will be understood that a holder embodying features of this invention may be used with other liners having upwardly inclined side walls, with or without fluted portions and varying in construction of the bottom walls, side walls or in the rim section, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The pick-up plate holder is formed of a rigid material, such as of wood, plastic, or metal molded or otherwise formed to the desired shape having a dished portion 15 including a relatively fiat bottom wall 17 and side walls 18 extending upwardly and outwardly substantially to conform to the contour forming the side walls of the liner or plate adapted to be mounted therein in position of use.

Operative engagement with the side walls 11 of the plate for securing same in position of use within the holder is achieved by means of a plurality of equidist-antly horizontally disposed spring arms 22 which extend inwardly through an opening 19 in the lower portion of the side walls of the holder and into the path of the plate in a manner to cause deformation of the side walls of the plate when properly located in position of use within the holder. The outer end portions of the spring arms are fixed, as by means of rivets 2%, or screws, onto the bottom side of a ledge 21 integral with the side walls of the holder.

As previously pointed out, the mere extension of the spring fingers into the path of the liner to cause deformation of the side walls upon insertion into position of use has been found to be insufli-cient for eifecting a desired gripping relation for holding the plate or liner within the holder. A positive gripping relation can, however, be eflected when, as illustrated, the end portion of the gripping fingers extending beyond the inner wall of the holder is bent downwardly and inwardly, as at 19 and then inwardly at a more substantial angle, as at 19*, for resiliency in operation. The outer edge 22 slopes gradually from one side to the other with the innermost side edge portion 22, hereinafter defined as the leading edge portion, being formed with :a curvature. In response to turning movement of the holder relative to the plate in the direction towards the leading edge while the plate is located in position of use, the tapered edge 22 gradually cuts into the side walls of the plate and leads the sloping edge into the side walls of the plate with gradually increasing effect to establish posi tive engagement therewith For best use, it is preferred that the taper in the leading edge portion of the spring fingers continue to a point of the spring fingers beyond that which would extend into the path of the plate upon insertion so as to provide for a gradual and positive cutting action into the side walls of the plate upon rela tive turning movement.

With the outwardly extending edge 22 leading into the slope providing a cutting edge on the leading portion of each of the spring fingers '22, the plate or liner can be anchored in the holder in a simple and expedient manner merely by positioning the plate face down onto a stack of inverted plates to locate the liner in position of use within the holder and then turning the holder for a short distance relative to the plate whereby the edges cut into the side walls of the uppermost plate within the stack to eifect the desired assembly. Upon removal of the holder, the uppermost plate, secured as described, will remain with the holder for use in service. The established attachment will be suflicient to prevent displacement other than by manual means for intentional removal. To permit twisting or turning movement of the holder relative to the plate in the stack without corresponding movement of the stack, it is often desirable to support the stack of plates on a friction surface such as a rubber pad which, as shown in the drawing, may preferably be formed as a rubber ring 23 having a central circular cavity 24 dimensioned to receive a lower portion of the inverted stack therein.

In operation to secure a plate or liner in position of use within the holder without contamination as an incidence to normal use by handling, the holder is positioned face down over the top of the inverted stack of plates having the rubber ring 23 or the like friction material as the base upon which the stack is supported, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The holder is then pressed down and turned a few degrees towards the curvilinear edge 22, such as in the clockwise direction in the arrangements shown in the drawing. Upon turning movement, the resilient spring fingers progressively cut farther into the side walls of the plate or liner to elfect a positive engagement so that the uppermost plate in the stack remains substantially permanently attached to the holder to form a plate assembly. Without such turning movement for causing the ends of the spring fingers to cut into the side walls of the plate, the gripping relation resulting merely from deformation ordinarily will be insufficient to effect the assembled relation, particularly with plates or liners of very resilient material and of large dimension Cross ridges 26 and projections 25 are formed to extend from the underside of the bottom wall 17 of the holder to facilitate handling in the manner described and to support the plate a desired distance from the table or other surface.

it will be apparent from the description that the number of spring fingers arranged in equidistantly spaced apart relation in the rim or side wall portions of the holder is not critical as long as more than one is present to impart a balanced reaction in attachment and support of the plate. While two spring fingers may be used, it is preferred to make use of three or four. It will be sutficient if the ends are horizontally disposed into the path of the liner or plate but a more desired relationship is established when the edge portion extends at a lesser slope, as previously described. It is preferred to locate the spring fingers in a position to engage the bottom por tion of the side walls of the plate where flexibility is more limited because of the proximity of the bottom wall, but a desired mounted relation can be established when the spring fingers extend through openings in other portions of the side walls of the plate holder to engage other portions of the side walls of the plate.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation, with out departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pick-up holder for paper plates, said holder comprising a generally circular member having a bottom wall and an annular side wall extending upwardly and sloping outwardly therefrom to define a cavity in said member for snugly receiving a paper plate, said side wall having a plurality of openings therein spaced therearound, a plurality of spring blades mounted on said member in said openings and extending into said cavity for engagement with the paper plate to retain the plate therein, each of said spring blades being of substantially greater width than thickness and having an inner end portion projecting inwardly into said cavity beyond said side wall, said inner end portion of each of said blades having a sharp scoring edge disposed substantially in a horizontal plane, each of said scoring edges extending generally parallel to a line tangential to the inside of said side wall but at a small angle to said line across the width of said blade, each of said scoring edges projecting substantially into said cavity at one lateral edge of said blade and receding progressively in a direction outwardly of said cavity along said scoring edge and across the width of said blade between said one lateral edge and the opposite lateral edge thereof, said scoring edge of each of said blades having a substantially rounded corner portion adjacent said opposite lateral edge of said blade whereby said scoring edge recedes with increased rapidity in a direction outwardly of said cavity adjacent said opposite lateral edge, said member being rotatable with respect to the paper plate in a direction such that said rounded corner portions will be leading, said scoring edges thereupon being eifective to bite progressively into the side of the paper plate so as to become firmly embedded therein.

2. A pick-up holder for paper plates, said holder comprising a generally circular member having a bottom wall and an annular side wall extending upwardly and sloping outwardly therefrom to define a cavity in said member for snugly receiving a paper plate, said side wall having a plurality of openings therein spaced therearound, a plurality of spring blades mounted on said member in said openings and extending into said cavity for engagement with the paper plate to retain the plate therein, each of said spring blades being of substantially greater width than thickness and having an inner end portion projecting inwardly into said cavity beyond said side wall, said inner end portion of each of said blades having a sharp scoring edge disposed substantially in a horizontal plane, each of said scoring edges extending generally parallel to a line tangential to the inside of said side wall but at a small angle to said line across the width of said blade, each of said scoring edges projecting substantially into said cavity at one lateral edge of said blade and receding progressively in a direction outwardly of said cavity along said scoring edge and across the width of said blade between said one lateral edge and the opposite lateral edge thereof, said member being rotatable relative to the paper plate with said opposite lateral edges leading, said scoring edges thereupon being efiective to bite progressively into the paper plate so as to become firmly embedded therein.

3. A pick-up holder for paper plates, said holder comprising a generally circular member having a bottom wall and an annular side wall extending upwardly and sloping outwardly therefrom to define a cavity in said member for snugly receiving a paper plate, said side wall having a plurality of openings therein spaced therearound, a plurality of spring blades mounted on said member in said openings and extending into said cavity for engagement with the paper plate to retain the plate therein, each of said spring blades being of substantially greater width than thickness and having an inner end portion projecting inwardly into said cavity beyond said side wall, said inner end portion of each of said blades being inclined inwardly and downwardly and having a sharp scoring edge disposed substantially in a horizontal plane, each of said scoring edges extending generally parallel to a line tangential to the inside of said side wall but at a small angle to said line across the width of said blade, each of said scoring edges projecting substantially into said cavity at one lateral edge of said blade and receding progressively in a direction outwardly of said cavity along said scoring edge and across the width of said blade between said one lateral edge and the opposite lateral edge thereof, said scoring edge of each of said blades having a substantially rounded corner portion adjacent said opposite lateral edge of said blade whereby said scoring edge recedes with increased rapidity in a direction outwardly of said cavity adjacent said opposite lateral edge, said member being rotatable with respect to the paper plate in a direction such that said rounded corner portions will be leading, said scoring edges thereupon being effective to bite progressively into the side of the paper plate so as to become firmly embedded therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent Waters Jan. 1, 1889 6 Barkey July 30, 1901 Haverstick Jan. 21, 1908 Lackner June 29, 1920 Barnes July 25, 1933 Rosay July 6, 1943 Amberg Sept. 27, 1949 Carew May 23, 1950 Carew May 23, 1950 Carew Sept. 16, 1952 Griffin Sept. 23, 1952 

